Brixham tighten grip on top spot in D Division West | 'We are growing with confidence each week ' – Craig Eaves

Hatherleigh

BRIXHAM tightened their grip on the D Division West leadership with a hefty 192-run win over Barton 2nd XI in the top-of-the-table clash at Cricketfield Road.

The two teams were level on points going into round six… but not any longer.

Brixham are now 15 points clear of Barton at the top of the table going into this Saturday’s engagement with second-bottom Plympton 2nd XI at Boundary Park.

Tom Hopper (66) and Craig Eaves (36), captains past and present of Brixham, put on 102 for the fourth wicket towards a total of 254 for nine.

Tom Blundell (22), Matt Parsons (15) and Holly Perkin (17) all chipped in towards the total – as did 39 extras.

Devan Sinha (3-38), Chris Needham (2-29) and Gary Spencer (2-26) were easily Barton’s most effective bowlers.

Other than opener Adam Last (25), none of Barton’s top seven made it into double-figures, including former Devon duo Andy Pugh and Andy Hele. Eaves (4-20) largely did the damage.

Bradley McKee (2-2) finished off the stragglers as Barton were dismissed for 62.

Brixham are regrouping under Eaves after a couple of relegations and the loss of their second team, who have been reformed this season and gone straight to the top of the H Division West.

Said Eaves: “We are growing with confidence each week and both teams at the club are progressing.”

IVYBRIDGE 2nd XI did not have the bowling firepower to prevent Ipplepen 2nd XI chasing 257 to win.

Jerry Clough (70) and Simon Kidd (36) took the Bridge up to 132 for three then Chris Greenhouse (56no) took the final tally to 256 for six with support from Jake Dunn (17) and James Ferriman (24no).

Youngster Warrick Green (2-38) was Ipplepen’s most successful bowler.

Ipplepen’s run chase was led by veteran opener Jeff Heath, who hit 108 off 78 balls and collected 20 fours and a six.

Adam Peters (31) and Josh Thompson (38) chipped in along the way.

Ivybridge skipper Andy Johnson tried seven bowlers to slow the Pens. Only Dunn (2-43) made much of an impression.

NIGEL Barriball stroked his way to an unbeaten 127 for Whitchurch against Kenn and still ended up on the losing side.

Barriball and Josh Towl (35) were the Wayfarers leading scorers in a total of 240 for eight against previously winless Kenn.

James Mason (84), the former Bovey Tracey all-rounder, and Peter Chislett (73) were the chasers’ main run getters. Skipper Towl took three Kenn wickets for 20 runs scored.

PLYMPTON 2nd XI were a long way adrift against visiting Hatherleigh in a game they lost by 108 runs.

Cameron Rowlands (51) and Eddie Jones (54) put on 112 for the second wicket as Hatherleigh set about scoring 243 for eight.

There was a brief lull in run getting provoked by Evie Privett – two wickets and a run-out – before Matt Dennis (26), Danny Forrester (23) and Ruben Forrester (24) got Hatherleigh moving again.

Only Millie Squire (0-34) was more economical than Privett (2-24) of the seven bowlers Plympton used.

Plympton started steadily with Surya Suresh (25), Rebecca Halliday (24) and Isaac Rowsell (23) all contributing, although not that quickly.

Spinner Jones was a man with a mission after being dropped from Hatherleigh’s first team – and probably fulfilled it after taking four Plympton wickets for 17 runs to rip out the middle order.

Two wickets each for Jamie Nielson and Rob Cockwill consigned Plympton to 135 all out.

PLYMSTOCK 2nd XI shot up to fourth in the D West table following a five-wicket win over Babbacombe.

Babbacombe, who started the day ahead of Plymstock, were held to 193 for six in 45 overs. A stand of 83 between Steve Broad (44) and Rob Redding (52) topped-up what Aiden Lightowlers (28) and J K Kurlan (28) achieved opening up.

Jason Williams (36) was easily the pick of Plymstock’s bowlers, although Simon Light’s (2-19) was a model of economy.

Williams was an easy pick for man of the match after making a top score of 42 in Plymstock’s chase.

Openers Paul Birlson (30) and Teddy Richards (38) gave Plymstock a 58-run start, Birleson and Williams added a further 52 and Mark Woodward (36) and Atif Hussain (37no) hoisted 61 unbroken to win it with more than six overs to go.